Due to popular interest, our Recession Proof Beauty series continues where we left off — organic, homemade face treatments.
Today, we will focus on homemade facial scrubs.
Exfoliation is essential to anyone’s skincare regimen, yet often the most hyped over-the-counter scrubs are costly and anything but chemical-free. The recipes below are not only all natural; they are cost-effective. Most importantly, they are fun to prepare in your own kitchen and leave you with tingly clean skin as a refreshing result!
Note: The facial scrubs listed work for all skin types, unless stated otherwise.
General Facial Scrub Procedure
- Tie hair back.
- Remove make up and rinse face with some warm water.
- To open pores, steam face over hot water or press warm cloth to skin for a few minutes.
- After preparing scrub, apply it to face (and neck if desired). Avoid eye area.
- Optional: Use a facial loofah, sponge, or brush to maximize exfoliation.
- Rinse off with warm water.
- Enjoy results!
10 Homemade Facial Scrub Recipes
Basic Baking Soda Scrub
Perfect for everyday use.
2 to 3 Tbsp. Baking soda
Small amount of water
Mix the ingredients into a paste.
Using a circular motion, apply to face and gently scrub.
Basic Cornmeal Scrub
Slightly more potent than the baking soda scrub, this works best on a 2 to 3 day interval.
2 to 3 Tbsp. Cornmeal
Small amount of water
Mix and apply in the same manner as baking soda scrub.
Rose Almond Face Scrub
To brighten and soften skin.
1 tsp rosewater
1/2 tsp almond flour or finely ground almonds.
Mix into paste and apply.
Oatmeal Scrub
A stimulating, thoroughly cleansing 3-in-1 scrub! Smooths, tones, and hydrates.
1 Tbsp. ground oatmeal (use steel cut oats, not instant)
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. yogurt
Combine and apply.
Optional: let your scrub double as a mask! Let it sit a few minutes before scrubbing and rinsing.
Azuki Bean Scrub
Banish your blackheads. Especially effective for combination and oily skin types.
½ cup dried azuki beans
Grind beans. (Having a small coffee grinder set aside specifically for beauty recipes is a wise idea).
Add a little water to the mixture and apply.
Milk and Honey Scrub
Maximize or minimize its moisturizing effect at will.
Choose your dairy:
1 tsp Skim Milk (Oily skin)
1 tsp 2% Milk (Normal or combination)
1 tsp Cream (Dry)
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp ground almonds
Banana Scrub
A very finely textured, delicious-smelling scrub. Can double as a mask.
2 tsp mashed banana
2 tsp rolled oats
1 tsp milk
1 tsp honey
Honey Sugar Scrub
If you have ever used a body sugar scrub, you know how amazing they are. Work the same magic on your face!
1 tsp. of honey
1/2 tsp. of sugar (either cane or brown — both work well)
Blend in bowl. Apply.
Rinse very thoroughly, as this recipe can be slightly sticky.
Pumpkin, Sugar, and Spice Scrub
By Care 2.com’s Healthy & Green Living shares this amazing (and Thanksgiving appropriate!) body scrub concoction (which also works wonders for the face):
1/2 cup cooked or canned pumpkin, pureed
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Blend in a bowl. Apply mixture to face (and body, if you really want to indulge yourself).
“Eat Your Greens” Facial Scrub
A great organic recipe by The Green Beauty Guide:
2 tsp organic wheat bran
2 tbsp organic oatmeal
2 tbsp olive oil soap, finely shredded
1 tsp dried parsley
1 part dried lettuce
Shave your favorite plant oil-based soap.
Grind parsley and lettuce with pestle in mortar. (We have tried this – you can also blend it in a processor).
Add soap shavings and mix thoroughly.
Whisk in the oatmeal and wheat brand and continue stirring until thoroughly mixed.
Tips for using and making homemade face scrubs
- Do these with your sister or best friend for a mini spa night at home while you catch up on gossip or a good chick flick.
- If you have extra, store it in an air tight container in the fridge. Make sure you use it within 3 days though.
- Like with any other face scrub, only use it 1 – 2 times a week.
- Baking and bi-carbonate Soda is abrasive, so don’t use the face scrubs which contain it too regularly or leave it on your skin for too long. Especially if you have sensitive skin.
Which homemade facial scrubs are your favourite?
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hi
i am suffering from pimples on my face i have used many face washes many creams my syrups amd whatever the people said but there is not satisfactory output i want to cure them plz prescribe some of the most best face washes and some homemade scrubs that i can buy and get easily to remove my pimples on this e-mail ID.
i shall be thanful to you
don’t worrie about the pimples i bet there only small but to get rid of them get marshmello fluff and and some vanilla to it and gently scrub into face belive me this works. p.s a lot of girls/boys like a mate with pimples.
ask a dermatologist abt retin-A it works great!
These are great scrubs. I especially love the oatmeal ones and the sugar ones. I want to try the banana one. Results will vary depending on skin type and individual health conditions. I have to be careful because I have exzema and allergies. These basic ones with recognizable ingredients work great for me and the women in my family.
I just did the baking soda and water. My skin felt tingly at first..a little sensitive after scrubbing. My face is very soft now,about 10 minutes later. Excess makeup and gunk gone. Thank you for your website!!!
Thanks for the great tips. do most of them need refrigeration for storage?
Hi Anne,
I would recommend you make the scubs as you need them as most of the ingredients would probably work best if they are fresh.
I’ve been trying product after product, and even if it does take care of my acne issues, they usually leave my face dry, and if I use a moisturizer it just makes my face super oily! >:( I’m so excited to try these scrubs! I’m getting ready to start my jr year of high school, and I hate my skin… Wish me luck! Please! =)
Here is an old Caribbean recipe for Pimples. This one is sure to work. Enjoy!
PIMPLES:
Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root..
i’ve been studying dermatology for a while now, and one thing i knoe for sure stay away from baking soda!!!, it completely dries out skin. for a good effective face scrub, grind coffe beans and mix with honey to form a paste. honey is a natural cleanser that is full of antioxidants that help prevent free radicals and it attracts moisture. coffee beans work great to wake up you and your face!, just the scent of coffe releives stress, and when its rubbed into your face it leaves a film that protects your face and seals your pores preventing acne. you can also add a tiny bit of milk to help reduce redness.
Taylor,
For dryness, try an oil-free moisturizer or even better, aloe vera! I just discovered it, and I love it. It feels a little tight when it first dries, but then it makes your skin feel so soft. Just make sure to use 100% pure aloe vera so that it is free of dyes and other chemicals.
Im not really an expert in the facial department so i was wondering if anyone could answer my question. Im having a party fro my 13th birthday and iwas wanting all my friends and i to have facial and stuff so i was wanting to know whats the best facial/scrub/mask to use for a wide set of people and something that will make them feel good. Any suggestions ????? xx
giorgia,
If I were you I would have a bunch of products in separate bowls and info on each one. You can have recipes out too so each girl can make her own according to her skin type. Just take bunch of stuff out of your pantry and fridge and I sure you have plenty for all your friends. You can even do sugar or salt scrubs for hand. Have fun.
for red inflammations (pimples) on the skin, dab a drop of lavender essential oil for immediate result. avoid eating things that cause pimples due to heat produced in the body, such as peanuts, mangoes, too many dry fruits, bananas etc.
I’m getting married this Saturday and I have been using retinol thus creating some dry flaky skin. As any woman knows, make up doesn’t apply well to that type of surface so I tried the Honey Sugar Scrub. It was fabulous! A very strong and deep exfoliating scrub. My skin feels wonderful along with a nice pink glow. Thank you very much for the recipes. I think for moisturizing effects I will do the Oatmeal Scrub tonight.
The honey and sugar one is the best scrub I have ever used!! Thanks heaps for the recipe! I told all my friends!!!
THE HONEY SUGAR WORKS GREAT WITH DRY FLAKY SKIN.
i had a very leathery feeling on my forehead not on the rest of my face and i normally do a chemical peel every 6 months, my beautician is on vacation and i desperately wanted a scrub and came across this website and the sugar honey scrub is PERFECT it gave me the same complexion as the peel but I saved $200, my skin is so soft and pink i LOVE IT made a whole bunch and keep in the fridge as per another website with the same recipe bcz they add a spoon of milk 😀
I love the Honey and Sugar scrub!!!I also want to try the banana one, and the coffee and honey one that was left in a comment. I am 14, and my brothers wedding is in a week, and I am a bridesmaid. I have always struggled with eczema, but lately I’ve had a skin disease that even the doctors are clueless about so they gave me a topical steroid to reduce short term symptoms. But afterward it leaves my skin flaky, badly peeling, and uneven. I wanted to look my best for the wedding, so I’ve been using the honey and sugar one, it works FABULOUS! Also, I added a bit of milk and CHAMOMILE!!! Chamomile is very soothing to your skin. I maybe be 14, but I know a lot about skin care! I love all the great recopies it gives you! Thanks!
ALSO!!!!!!!!!!! I got a bowl and put a few bags of chamomile tea in it, along with some green tea and water, got it HOT, soaked a rag up in it, and let it rest on my face, and when it got cold, I’d dip it back into the warm tea. It opens your pores, and calms them down, and softens your face. Just a tip, also VERY relaxing for a high-schooler, or even a busy mom, whenever we can spare the time. 🙂
Can these scrubs be made in bulk and kept in a jar for say a present?? 🙂
I am a 14 year Old girl I hadn’t ever really had problems with break outs until my 8th grade year my t line (between my eyebrows) began to break out severly so I thought I would try some of these. My personal remedy for break outs was pitting toothpaste on my zits, but after trying the honey and sugar scrub I saw an instant change. My face looks so much better!! It really works they look so much better, less red, less noticeable, and it left the rest of my face soft!
for acne: a dermatologist recommended me an apricot scrub and the reti-a will only treat tiny pimples not big ones. find an organic brand apricot scrub or use one of the gritty-feeling recipes.
Just curious on which one of these would be good for a guy to use I have normal skin type but have issues with big pores and black heads any ideas? I look forward to some feedback and i don’t like to spend $$ on all of those expensive cleaners
honey and teatree oil mix for 10-15 mins no LONGER!! 🙂
There are so many different types of acne. What works for me/mine is a mixture of about equal parts of JOJOBA OIL as it’s closest to our own natural oils and tends to eliminate excess production of our own, and a bit less of TEETREE OIL which helps with bacteria, a much smaller amount of LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OIL and the same of BERGAPTENE-FREE BERGAMOT ESSENTIAL OIL. I apply this pre-mix to a clean face and upper back/shoulder area as I used to have constant acne there, worse than on my face.
All the best to you.
So… i tried a scrub: honey, lemon juice, sugar and olive oil.
But at the time, i didnt have any olive oil so i used sunflower oil… my mums 5litre pure sunflower oil :/
the next day i had a breakout ALL over my back and face…. and a week later they are still there :/
… any help anyone?? :S
It would be greatly appreciated xx
Tried the baking soda one first and it was great. the next day I tried the honey and sugar one and it worked even better. I don’t get acne but my skin was looking dull and blemishy. now it looks awesome and feels so soft. 🙂 thanks
Just tried the Honey Sugar scrub. My skin is nice and smooth and not oily at all. I don’t have dry skin but I do suffer from acne. Now, hopefully this won’t make me break out. 🙂
I just combined a couple of ideas from here into scrub. Worked amazingly! I’ve got some mild acne, and my skin is just stressed and tired in general. As a cleansing base, I mixed a St. Ives (green tea) scrub — though I’m sure any scrub would work — with salt and cleansed my face. I then mixed some honey, brown sugar, a few drops of baby oil and some coarse coffee grounds and scrubbed it in, left it one for a couple of minutes and rinsed. My skin looks healthier, and feels both clean but moisturized (a real challenge when your skin is combination/oily). Also, if you’d like to even out your skin tone from acne scars and/or broken skin, vitamin A works magic when applied overnight.
Does the honey sugar scrub work on oily skin? I’m always afraid that too much moisture will make me break out.
Hi, would like to ask whether the honey-sugar scrub must be use everyday. Before sleeping or after I take a bath? I’ve got oily skin, is it applicable as well? I hope you could help. Been having a lot of red spots on my face though they are not pimples. I was thinking that it might be due to stress. Right now, I just drink a lot of water and green tea in the morning and before I sleep. Hope you could answer my question. 🙂
Hi Janine,
Try using it once or twice a week to start. Sometimes red spots can be hormonal – from stress or a hormone imbalance, so if the spots don’t go away after a few month it might be an idea to go see a dermatologist.
Just tried the baking soda scrub last night and my skin looks amazing and feels super soft! I will no longer be purchasing expensive products that have little results. Thanks for posting these.
Can these be used as full body exfoliaters?
I went to my sisters for the weekend and she had a new scrub made with Coffee Beans. Now I use a well known skin care product and have loved it for 18 years, but when I tried this coffee bean scrub I have never had anything that made my face feel & look sooooooo good. OMG, it was amazing. My sister had me and two if her daughters try it, we all loved it. I have tried serveral scrubs before all kinds, but this truly was the best…. she bought it from some kind of auction so it didn’t have the ingredients, but we are going to try and figure out what was in it. I can’t say enough how truly amazing it was….everyone please try the coffe bean scrub…
Thank you so much I just did the baking soda with water paste …. Used the left over for my hands. I want to say my face and hands feels AWESOME without spending money. 🙂
I have been using Johnson’s baby wash on my face for only a couple days now and it definitely has made a difference, it doesnt dry my skin out and leaves it soft. I got looking for something that would give my pores a deeper clean without drying out my skin and found these recipes, I just tried the honey sugar scrub and my face is soooo silky soft and clean feeling. I added a tiny tiny bit (couple drops) of water to it so it wasnt so thick and sticky, made it easier to rub around my face. Excellent recipe no doubt, planning to try some of the others as well!
I intend trying the honey sugar scrub I hope it works cos am black & I have very oily skin,I have tried so many options I even vist the spa every week to have facials & pluck out acnes. I hope to get a result from this.
i’m about to try the honey sugar scrub.. i really have oily skin & pimples.. how long do the scrub have to stay on my face & how often do i have to the honey sugar scrub..
any suggestion to get rid of blackheads..
thanx..
I use organic Coconut oil and then rinse it off 15 mins later and for a face scrub i use the Coconut oil and sugar. Your face may brake out at first but that’s because of all the toxins it’s getting out of your skin. I’m 15 and every female uses this in my family (except my 3 year old cousin, the boys are too afraid to try it), and I, as a teenager use to get tons of pimples because of junk-food and make-up but since I stopped wearing makeup (minus mascara) and using the Coconut oil it’s helped immensely.
I have tried the almond, honey and milk scrub. I have found it makes my skin very soft, and gets rid of redness on my skin, it leaves my skin feeling amazing too.
For how long can i use sugar and honey body scrub. is it true that soda reduces body odor.
I use an EVOO and brown sugar scrub. It makes my skin soft and smooth, and even helps with acne! It’s 1/4 cup EVOO and 1/2 cup brown sugar. 🙂